The prior art shows a variety of floor mop constructions for “wringing” or removing fluid from sponge-type mops, with the majority of the structures employing pressure plates or rollers which are activated by lever arms to press against the mop head. Typical of such constructions are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,131,111 and 5,974,617.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,322,865 and 4,817,228, pistons mounted in a mop handle are activated to create a vacuum in a mop head causing the walls of the mop head to collapse, thereby causing presser plates, which are pivotally connected thereto to compress an attached sponge.
String-type mops of the prior art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,709,622 and 5,675,858, and Design No. 387,526, employ collars or sleeves which are slideably mounted on the mop handle and are forced over the mop head and twisted or rotated to remove fluid therefrom.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,172, an air bladder is inserted into an air duct and inflated and pulled along the duct for removing dirt and debris from the duct.
The prior art fails to provide cleaning apparatus, which is lightweight, employs no pressure plates or levers or rollers to effect wringing and requires no bending during use.